Return of QB Garcia spices Talons-SaberCats tilt

Updated 11:42 pm, Friday, March 22, 2013

After leading the Talons to a division title last season, quarterback Aaron Garcia will be back in the dome today wearing a San Jose uniform.

After leading the Talons to a division title last season, quarterback Aaron Garcia will be back in the dome today wearing a San Jose uniform.

Photo: Tom Reel / San Antonio Express-News

Image 2 of 8

Aaron Garcia tries a quick pass to the right as the Talons host the Arizona Rattlers at the Alamodome on July 13, 2012.

Aaron Garcia tries a quick pass to the right as the Talons host the Arizona Rattlers at the Alamodome on July 13, 2012.

Photo: Tom Reel, Express-News

Image 3 of 8

Aaron Garcia picks a receiver in the first half as the Talons host the Arizona Rattlers at the Alamodome on July 13, 2012.

Aaron Garcia picks a receiver in the first half as the Talons host the Arizona Rattlers at the Alamodome on July 13, 2012.

Photo: Tom Reel, Express-News

Image 4 of 8

San Antonio Talons quarterback Aaron Garcia throws from the end zone during Arena Football League action against Kansas City in the Alamodome on Saturday, June, 30, 2012.

San Antonio Talons quarterback Aaron Garcia throws from the end zone during Arena Football League action against Kansas City in the Alamodome on Saturday, June, 30, 2012.

Photo: Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News

Image 5 of 8

Talons quarterback Aaron Garcia throws another touchdown, this time in the fourth quarter, as the San antonio Talons play the San Jose Sabercats on May 19, 2012. Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News

Talons quarterback Aaron Garcia throws another touchdown, this time in the fourth quarter, as the San antonio Talons play the San Jose Sabercats on May 19, 2012. Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News

Photo: TOM REEL, Express-News

Image 6 of 8

FOR SPORTS - San Antonio Talons' Aaron Garcia passes against the Chicago Rush during first half action Saturday April 28, 2012 at the Alamodome.

FOR SPORTS - San Antonio Talons' Aaron Garcia passes against the Chicago Rush during first half action Saturday April 28, 2012 at the Alamodome.

Photo: EDWARD A. ORNELAS, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Image 7 of 8

Talons quarterback Aaron Garcia throws as the San Antonio Talons host the New Orleans Voodoo at the Alamodome on April 13, 2012.

Talons quarterback Aaron Garcia throws as the San Antonio Talons host the New Orleans Voodoo at the Alamodome on April 13, 2012.

Photo: Tom Reel, San Antonio Express-News

Image 8 of 8

Return of QB Garcia spices Talons-SaberCats tilt

1 / 8

Back to Gallery

Not long after the Talons were dismissed from the Arena Football League playoffs last summer, celebrated quarterback Aaron Garcia defected to sign a free-agent deal with the rival San Jose SaberCats.

The move, he stressed, simply was an affair of the heart.

“I was just trying to be home closer to the kids,” said Garcia, 42. “I wanted to be able to do the things I want to do as a dad.”

The California native will take a break from parental duties tonight, when he leads the SaberCats into the Alamodome against the Talons in both teams' season opener.

“Coming back will be bittersweet,” said Garcia, who compiled almost 5,000 yards and 118 touchdowns passing for the Talons last year. San Antonio finished the regular season 14-4 as Central Division champions before losing to Utah in the first round of the playoffs.

The 6-foot-1 veteran is the signature figure in a compelling backdrop to the game. Both franchises include several players who swapped uniforms during the offseason.

“We know those guys too well,” said McGill, who has been open in his distaste for the SaberCats franchise. “I've been preparing to play this for six months, from the day I left. The day I left, I knew I wasn't coming back.”

San Jose coach Darren Arbet, he added, “can't stop us. There's nothing he can do. He can come up with the greatest player you want out there (on the offensive line). It's not going to work.”

Garcia, in his 17th season, will be the focus of that enmity. A five-step quarterback who prefers to look deep whenever possible, he'll face pressure from a revamped Talons defense paced by Sykes, who led the AFL with 16 sacks last season as the league's defensive MVP.

“There's always going to be some juice to this one,” said San Antonio coach Lee Johnson, whose team split with San Jose last season. “Aaron is probably going to look ugly in that white and green (uniform). He's going to find a lot of (Talons) black all over him.”

San Antonio, for its part, will be previewing its own warhorse quarterback. John Dutton, like Garcia regarded as one of the legendary names in league history, will take the reins for the Talons.

More Information

SAN JOSE AT TALONS

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Alamodome

TV/Radio: arenafootball.com (live streaming), KZDC-AM 1250

Last meeting: Talons won 72-47 on May 19 at Alamodome.

Storyline: Game has unique backdrop of pitting players who swapped franchises between San Jose and San Antonio. QB Aaron Garcia, WR Jason Willis and DB Kenneth Fontenette signed with San Jose from San Antonio in offseason, while Talons DL Tim McGill and Joe Sykes, DB Andre Jones and OL Emmanuel Akah played for SaberCats last year.